About Me, the ohboymom

When I gave birth to my third son back in 2003, a neighbor said to me, “Congratulations – now you can join the Mothers-of-boys club!” I thought she was joking, but sure enough, in my small suburban town, this club actually existed. The one rule for joining the group was that you had to be a mom to at least three boys, with no girls in the mix. I never ended up participating in the club, because I found out that it was more of an excuse to drink wine and vent. Don’t get me wrong — I’m all for that, but I was already overwhelmed with three kids and didn’t make the time to join. As it turned out, I found plenty of other boy moms in my town with whom I instantly bonded.

What I soon discovered was that a mother to three or more sons seems to garner more attention than a mother to one or two sons. The mother to three boys is the recipient of constant comments, ranging from the “oh, how do you do it?” to the “there’s a special place in heaven for a mother to all boys.” Yup, pity seemed to be the overriding reaction, and I just didn’t get it. Even more, I didn’t like it. So, I started to write about the adventures with my three boys, wanting to show the world that being a “boy mom” is both frenzied and fabulous, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

For its first year, Oh Boy Mom was a growing blog, gaining readers with honest and humorous posts. And then a major blow to our family occurred. A mere two months after losing my beloved mother to cancer, my 9-year old son (Little Dude) was diagnosed with a rare type of pediatric tumor.

The anger, disbelief, “why me?” and utter panic consumed me at first. I literally had trouble breathing, let alone eating and sleeping. But, when your child is facing a serious illness, you can’t sit back and cry. You have to take action – fast. And we did.

I also quickly discovered that no matter what challenges you and your family may be facing, you have to keep the laughter going. When my mother was in the ICU during her illness, the doctor came by to see my dad, my mom, and me laughing together. He smiled and said, “I truly believe laughter is the best medicine.”

And so, I am taking that mantra to heart and making sure to incorporate laughter and humor into our life every single day, no matter what the circumstance. I know that attitude is going to carry us through this incredibly tough time, and we will all be stronger at the other end.

I invite you to join us for this new chapter of our life, where you can read and laugh along with us, as we go to battle and conquer this beast.

Oh and one more thing: When I’m not running around with my boys, I can be found writing, playing tennis, walking our Labradoodle Matilda (yes, a girl!), or eating a meal with my husband (OhBoyDad) or friends.

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This is an amazing blog! As a mother of a tomboy daughter and son, I have often felt like a mother of 2 boys. However, as my daughter enters the tween years, and now starts middle school, her feminine side is emerging more and more. I am seeing now how, uhm, unfortunate the differences between the sexes can sometimes be. My daughter easily mastered middle school locker and classroom location logistics and she had her 4-day rotating schedule memorized in one day! My 9 year old son however just asked me if the house we have been living in for 8 years has a powder room. I wonder how he will navigate middle school, which is thankfully 2 years away. Please tell me the light bulb goes on soon lol!

Thanks Liz for your comment and support! Don’t worry, the lightbulb goes on — it just may take a little longer.:) Let me know if you ever want to write a guest blog post on describing these gender differences — it’s fascinating!

Love this blog (and blogger)!! Am I allowed to say that reading your reflections on raising boys is making me glad for a girl :-)? Many fewer scary toilet situations for sure. I definitely lack your fortitude!

Hi, found your blog through my comments section and wanted to say that I think having three boys sounds like tons of fun! And you’ve got a great attitude about it. Boys are so much fun to raise. Glad I found your blog!

Thank you for this great blog- fellow mom of three boys here. 12, 8 & 8. It’s an interesting journey for me- I grew up in an all-woman household so these men seem foreign to me. If you are on instagram, I have a hastag for our lives: #lifewiththreeboys. I’m not w writer, but I am a photographer. We have a great time and I’m learning so much, but I’m still scared to death at the job of raising three boys to become men I can be proud of. Thanks again. Jennifer

Thanks so much for reading my blog and commenting. I will definitely check out your photos on Instagram as well. I too never pictured myself raising all boys, but I love it! Glad to have a fellow mom of 3 boys as one of my readers!

Hi–I just found your blog link in the comments at Stasha’s The Good Life blog. I to am the mom of three boys–aged 6, almost 10, and 16. It’s a wild ride, isn’t it? I look forward to reading more of your posts.

Hi There!
i thought raising one son was hard, I cant even imagine more than one..whew!
God Bless you and all the other moms with more than one child..i will remember you all when my son is driving me nuts!
i look forward to being part of this OHBOYMOM community!

Love this! I am a mom of three sons, ages 7, 5, and 2. Reading your posts gives me a glimpse into what’s in store for me! So happy to read about another mom who truly loves being mommy to only boys! Despite the comments that I get *every* time I’m out with all three of my sons (special place in heaven for you, you have your hands full, how do you do it, etc) I adore my sons and wouldn’t have it any other way!

I too am the mother of 3 wonderful boys 10, 7 and 5. They are amazing children and it’s taken me a while to not get irked with the comments when I’m out with them, e.g. even though they’re being perfect angels standing there in line to get onto an airplane, someone says to my husband “oh your poor wife”. It’s hurtful and ridiculous. I’m more worried about the female gender they may marry as I know what we can be like – lol!

Awe, it’s hard to hear about kids with any sort of medical conditions. I have girl and then boy, boy and middle son is always the one who will have ANYthing while the other two are never sharing in the brunt of whatever it may be like allergies or asthma or immuno something or other condition, and now it’s some vision issue. Lol, all belong to the middle one. Anyway, we’ve spent time at the Children’s Hospital with him and it always puts me in my place because Cool’s issues are all minor compared to what others have to endure. And I’m oldest of three boys and boys rule!don recently posted…That time I went crazy…

My mom introduced me to your blog just last night because she had printed out your post “Someone to brush my hair”. I burst in to tears when I read that post because I felt like you were speaking from my heart.. I am the mother of amazing twin 3 year old boys and I am 32 weeks pregnant with my 3rd boy blessing. My mom, 2 sisters, and I are extremely close and I would be lying if I said that my heart didn’t break a little bit when I found out that we were having a boy- not because I wanted a girl, but, like you said, I thought that I wanted a daughter. After our struggle with infertility to have the twins, this one happened naturally and I am truly counting my blessings for 3 boys. A couple years ago, when my boys were less than a year old, I was at a nail salon and an older man walked in pushing his elderly mother in a wheelchair, and sat there with her while she got her nails done.. that touched my heart in more ways than I could have ever known. Thank you for putting it all out there and making me feel normal for how I felt. I am keeping your son, you, and your family in my thoughts and prayers!!

Ashley, I’m so glad you found my blog and more specifically my “Someone To a Brush My Hair” piece. That essay was published in a local magazine about 9 years ago, but it seems to be timeless as it continues to touch the hearts of “boy moms.” I have found that the older my boys get, the more I relish being a mom to 3 sons. You will find that as you meet other moms to boys that you will bond with them very quickly. Thank you for sharing that image with me of the man taking his mother to the nail salon…very heartwarming and you will see that one (or more) of your boys will be that man who nurtures you if or when you need it. My mother passed away about 8 months ago and the hair-brushing essay was her favorite of my pieces. Now that she’s gone, I realize more than ever that I was truly blessed to have such an amazing relationship with my mom. Even if I had had a daughter, there is no guarantee I could have replicated that kind of closeness with her. Every child is so different and I am hoping to maintain strong bonds with each of my boys throughout their lives but I also know that every relationship is different. All the best to you for the remainder of your pregnancy and I hope you’ll continue to follow my blog…there’s never a shortage of topics around boys! Thank you also for your thoughts and prayers – I am learning a lot about the resilience and sensitivity of boys through this experience.

Hi OhBoyMom! What a terrific blog you have here. I’m glad I stumbled upon it. I have two boys (4 year old and a toddler) and I can relate to a lot of what you write about. I understand your family is going through a testing time now, and I think it is extremely brave of you to share it with everyone. Your approach of adding a dash of humor to everything is so commendable. I think this blog is very unique, something that I haven’t seen replicated anywhere else. I’ll definitely be following your posts. Take care, and best wishes for you and your beautiful family.

Just found your blog through Scary Mommy and I love it! I have a 14 year old son. On a side note, I also love playing tennis. I write a “healthy living” type blog, and can’t find anyone who writes about tennis. Have you?Lexie Wolf recently posted…Teens and Screens: The Social, the Scary, and the Sedentary

So glad I stumbled upon your blog! As a mother of three boys (and 1 girl dog, Gracie), I get the comments about being a “boy mom” a lot, too. Our pediatrician frequently says, “Mothers of three boys should receive automatic sainthood.” Though, like you, I don’t get the pity either. Yes, there is never a dull moment around here, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Oh, and I’m a tennis player, too!

I just found you today – how did I JUST find you today? Anyway, so glad I did. I have two boys (both teens, 19 and 16). I just started blogging a month ago, and it’s so wonderful to find other moms with teens. Your article about the 10 benefits to having teen boys was perfect – the whole time I was nodding and agreeing! I can’t wait to read more. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!Lana recently posted…Mothers Here and Gone

I’m so glad you found my blog and that I made you laugh, especially during what I know firsthand to be a stressful time. I have been hoping to connect with readers just like you and help ease the anxiety with smiles and laughs. I’m going to tell my son that there’s another child out there undergoing treatment who also has a fondness for bacon. He finished treatment a few months ago and his love for bacon still remains.:) All the best to you and your family and especially your daughter. I hope you’ll check back with my blog from time to time and thank you for reading.

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About OhBoyMom

I am a mom to three boys (Big Dude - 17; Middle Dude - 14; and Little Dude - 11) and one girl dog (Matilda). I am also married to OhBoyDad, who I met at the University of Michigan many years ago. When I'm not blogging or writing, I can be found playing tennis, drinking iced tea, or eating out because I hate to cook. I have recently completed a memoir, "Hope All Is Well." If you'd like to publish it or make it into a major motion picture, please let me know.